Avalanche keep Ryan Graves with 3-year deal

The Colorado Avalanche re-signed defenseman Ryan Graves to a three-year contract, general manager Joe Sakic announced Monday, according to The Athletic's Ryan S. Clark.

The deal reportedly carries an average annual value of $3.16 million, according to Clark.

The 25-year-old Graves was a pending restricted free agent. In 2019-20, his first full season in the NHL, he recorded nine goals and added 17 assists. The blue-liner averaged 18:57 minutes of ice time per game and his plus-40 rating led the entire league.

Graves spent four seasons in the AHL before making his NHL debut with the Avalanche in 2018-19. In 95 career NHL games, he has 12 goals and 19 assists.